About us

When FMR was first launched in 1987 (then called the Refugee Participation Network - RPN - newsletter), the introduction in the first issue said this:

The overall objective of the RPNis to establish a link through which practitioners, researchers and policy makers can communicate and benefit from each other's practical experience and research results. Those working for host governments, voluntary agencies and international humanitarian agencies acquire invaluable experience but are often too busy to record it; those doing research publish in places and in a style which often make their findings inaccessible or irrelevant to practitioners. The RPN intends to bridge this gap...

This objective remains the same today.

Forced Migration Review (FMR) presents concise, accessible articles in a magazine format. Each issue has a feature theme and, usually, a range of general articles on forced migration. FMR is published in English, French, Spanish and Arabic (and occasionally in additional languages), and is available free of charge in print and online.

FMR aims to:

contribute to improving policy and practice for people affected by forced migration

FMR supports the interests and information needs of those responding to crises that cause displacement; publicises research that is relevant to these interests and needs; and aims to support learning, training, advocacy, policymaking and research. FMR is neutral and impartial, and is committed to the rights and protection of stateless people and forced migrants of all kinds.

How is FMR funded?
We are dependent on external grants and donations for all aspects of FMR, including staff salaries. Our annual budget is approximately £270,000 / US$445,000 / €351,000. More details...

Who reads FMR?
FMR is read in print and online throughout the research and international humanitarian communities and has a majority Southern readership. Each issue of FMR is distributed in over 160 countries to local and international NGOs; UN agencies; Red Cross/Crescent branches; refugee/IDP camps and refugee associations; donor agencies; research and policy institutes; university and college departments; human rights agencies; foreign, interior, health, welfare and other ministries; libraries; the media; and individual members of the public.

How many languages?
We usually publish FMR in four languages: English, Arabic, Spanish and French. Some issues have been printed in additional languages to increase access, and articles from FMR have independently been translated into a variety of other languages.

Editing
FMR is firmly grounded in a world-class academic institution, and is also deeply rooted in policy and practice. The FMR Editors have many years’ experience working in the international humanitarian community, including in the field. They bring to bear their own experience and their location within academia not only in researching FMR themes and developing outreach networks but also in editing FMR articles to be accurate, useful, succinct, relevant and accessible.

As the in-house publication of the Refugee Studies Centre, FMR is a key part of the RSC’s dissemination and outreach activities.

“I think it's great that FMR's readership is so diverse. Ultimately, FMR’s approach promotes communication and I think from the researcher’s point of view, it’s an effective mechanism for influencing policy and practice. And articles are written accordingly, succinctly, using non-technical language and limiting the number of citations. I admire it greatly and I wish it was a model more publications followed.”

“I'll take this opportunity to say that you are doing amazingly important work in a wonderfully engaging way. Your work helps me and the refugee community in an immense way, by both showing us that we are not alone in the struggle for protecting rights and in sharing with us best practices which we try and emulate.”